Waterfalls

A tour of the waterfalls in NYC, booked online and late in the day seemed like the perfect idea for a Monday in New York City.

I only knew that they were positioned around the East River and figured that they would be interesting.

Some of the information from the website is here:

New York City will host an exciting art exhibit featuring spectacular man-made waterfalls 90 to 120 feet (27 to 37 meters). They will be softly lit at night and available for everyone to see. There will be 4 falls total.

The New York City Waterfalls have been constructed using building elements that are ubiquitous throughout New York: scaffolding is the backbone of the structures, and pumps bring water from the East River to the top; the water then falls from heights of 90 to 120 feet back into the river. Fish and aquatic life are protected by filtering the water through intake pools suspended in the river.

The New York City Waterfalls are visible by land and boat, and because of their proximity to one another, viewers will be able to see multiple waterfalls from various vantage points in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Governors Island.

The project is the brainchild of Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. Eliasson is considered one of his generation’s most influential artists. Throughout his career, he has taken inspiration from natural elements and phenomena, such as light, wind, fog, and water, to create sculptures and installations that evoke sensory experiences.

Olafur Eliasson was born in Copenhagen, his recent works reflect Eliasson’s increased interest in architecture and the built environment. Since the mid-1990s, he has presented his work in numerous exhibitions and outdoor venues, and his work is currently on view in a major mid-career retrospective (he was born in 1967) at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art through February 24, 2008, which will be expanded at The Museum of Modern Art and PS 1 Contemporary Art Center in New York opening on April 20, 2008.

“One of Eliasson’s great strengths as an artist is his ability to captivate viewers, which he will do by integrating the spectacular beauty of nature into the urban landscape on a dramatic scale,” said Steiner, curator of The New York City Waterfalls. Eliasson’s work often involves industrial materials that, when brought together, create dramatic installations that are as beautiful as they are unexpected.

“In developing The New York City Waterfalls, I have tried to work with today’s complex notion of public spaces,” said Eliasson. “The Waterfalls appear in the midst of the dense social, environmental, and political tissue that makes up the heart of New York City. They will give people the possibility to reconsider their relationships to the spectacular surroundings, and I hope to evoke experiences that are both individual and enhance a sense of collectivity.”

I have to say that leaving the cruise I was a tad disappointed. I didn't like the fact that all the scaffolding to me dominated the waterfall. It was also a little difficult to get a good view of them (by that I mean without someone's arm, camera, head etc in them) from our spots on the boat as we were in the middle and people are so inconsiderate. They just went and stood at the railing without moving so I've ended up with photos of tourists in MY photos!! A bit of sharp editing may eliminate them.

We went for dinner after at the New Zealand pub on Front St and had some delicious lamb (I had lamb chops Anne Marie lamb curry pie) and as we were heading to grab a cab I got this great shot of the Brooklyn Bridge and the waterfalls. So now I do like them (talk about fickle) and think I may go back down there at different times of the day and evening as they do look lovely in the night and perhaps will look great in the dawn (that's not going to happen!)


Part of the cruise took us out to the Statue of Liberty. I hadn't needed to do that bit but short of getting out and walking across water I was staying there. I do love the Statue of Liberty, is there a limit to the number of photos one can have of it. The light was all wrong for really good photos apart from the fact that those dratted tourists kept getting in my way again!

We finished the evening by stopping at Charley O's where a jazz band plays on Monday nights.
Sue and I had called in there last week and I thought Barry would enjoy just having a quick nightcap there before heading home. We ended up talking to a couple of blokes at the bar and coping with the rudest barman in New York City.

It was a good end to a day that had started with Anne Marie and I going to 34th Street to get the final things she wanted- shoes and a quick trip in to Victoria's Secret. With the Australian dollar being so strong (for the Australian dollar that is )and the the cost of clothing here being comparatively cheaper and a much larger range, Anne Marie has managed to restock her wardrobe quite successfully.